Month: November 2014

A former actress has settled a claim for compensation for whiplash injuries against her former employers for an undisclosed sum.

In November 2008, Rebecca Smith of Killiney, County Dublin, made a whiplash injury claim against RTE after claiming that the had sustained soft tissue injuries while filming a scene for “Fair City”. Rebecca-who played the character of Annette Daly-was filming a scene while in the passenger seat of a car being operated by a stuntman.

As a part of the scene-being filmed in the Mount Merrion Area-the stuntman was required to brake sharply on several occasions. This jolting movement caused Rebecca to be thrown backwards and forwards in her seat while filming the driving sequence. Rebecca claimed that immediately after the scene finished shooting, she felt pain in her neck and upper back.

The actress was transported to the nearest VHI Swiftcare Clinic. The pain eventually migrated down from her neck and back to her right arm and her fingers. Rebecca claims that she had trouble moving her neck for a week after the incident, and couldn’t sleep because of the discomfort and tingling feeling in her right arm and pain in her neck. She claimed that due to the extent of her injuries, she was prevented form working for a week.

Rebecca sought legal advice, and made a claim for whiplash injuries against her employer, RTE. She alleged that they had been negligent by failing to use a stunt double for her to film the sequence, thus failing to ensure her safety. RTE denied the claim, and as a result of the contested liability, Rebecca sought authorisation for the Injuries Board to pursue the claim in court. The authorisation was granted.

My Justice Raymond Groarke heard at the Civil Court in Dublin that Rebecca had settled her whiplash injury claim against the broadcasting company for an undisclosed sum, and the court could strike the case.